Blue Guide London

No updates in 7 years for London? This is THE guide for walking the streets of what might be the world's most interesting city. My worn copy has notes on many pages about items I've seen, tidbits found in history books that added to them, magic things, that fabulous Middle Eastern grocery store North of Hyde Park, the "Burrow" location (the abandoned tube station where Churchill used to hide from air raids in WWII), etc. etc. .... I have walked down distinctive streets with a blue guide in one hand and a Pevsner's in the other and have been invited into private houses to see an Adams' ceiling or a spectacular staircase. This is for people willing to fall in love with a place. I am sorry people in the future will not be able to do this. Museums change their arrangements from time to time, and so the Blue Guide room-by-room description will age and crumble. The BG list changed hands in 2004.... I guess business is business. Perhaps I was a fool to shed tears when I figured out they were not updating BG London. I've been a fool for lesser things. So get what copies you can, make your own notes in it, prepare for disappointment when you want a new edition.

I spent nearly six weeks studying at the University of North London a few summers ago. Before heading across the pond, I picked this one up when a friend recommended it to me. Of all the literature I used and/or purchased for the trip, this was by far the best. It pointed out tourist hotspots, good restaurants, neat quiet spots, and even had a lot of background about the sites of reference. If you're spending a good few weeks in London and it's your first time (or second or third), you should check this one out! You'll really enjoy it.

I've spent a year in England and have made >30 visits all together. <br /> <br />Here are my reviews of the best guides....to meet you r exact needs.....I hope these are helpful and that you have a great visit! I always gauge the quality of my visit by how much I remember a year later......this review is designed to help you get the guide that will be sure YOU remember your trip many years into the future. Travel Safe and enjoy yourself to the max! <br /> <br />Fodor's <br />Fodor's is the best selling guide among Americans. They have a bewildering array of different guides. Here's which is what: <br />The Gold Guide is the main book with good reviews of everything and lots of tours, walks, and just about everything else you could think of. It's not called the Gold guide for nothing though....it assumes you have money and are willing to spend it. <br />SeeIt! is a concise guide that extracts the most popular items from the Gold Guide <br />PocketGuide is designed for a quick first visit <br />UpCLOSE for independent travel that is cheap and well thought out <br />CityPack is a plastic pocket map with some guide information <br />Exploring is for cultural interests, lots of photos and designed to supplement the Gold guide <br /> <br />MapGuide <br />MapGuide is very easy to use and has the best location information for pubs, hotels, tourist attractions, museums, churches etc. that they manage to keep fairly up to date. It's great for teaching you how to use the underground and the double decker buses. The text sections are quick overviews, not reviews, but the strong suite here is brevity, not depth. I strongly recommend this for your first few times learning your way around the classic tourist sites and experiences. MapGuide is excellent as long as you are staying pretty much in the city centre. When you get to be an old London hand, remember that the classic Londoners guide will always be an A to Z (zed) map and guide. If you want to go a bit beyond the central core of the city (perhaps to Windsor, Hampton, or further away) you really need the proper AtoZ to be able to find exact routes and streets. <br /> <br />Time Out <br />The Time Out guides are very good. Easy reading, short reviews of restaurants, hotels, and other sites, with good public transport maps that go beyond the city centre. Many people who buy more than one guidebook end up liking this one best! <br /> <br />Blue Guides <br />Without doubt, the best of the walks guides.... the Blue Guide has been around since 1918 and has extremely well designed walks with lots of unique little side stops to hit on just about any interest you have. If you want to pick up the feel of the city, this is the best book to do that for you. This is one that you end up packing on your 10th trip, by which time it is well worn. <br /> <br />Michelin <br />Famous for their quality reviews, the Red Michelin Guides are for hotels & Restaurants, the Green Michelin Guides are for main tourist

The Blue Guide is without doubt THE best guide to have with you in London (or Rome, or Florence, or Paris...)as you are touring the sites. For most attractions you don't need to buy the pricey guidebooks at the site to figure out what you are seeing - the Blue Guide will take you room-by-room through musuems, explain the who,what, where and when of the art and architecture around you and give you a decent history lesson. Take this guide, a general guide like Time Out or Frommer's and a good map (A-Z London)and you are set to enjoy London without breaking your back or the bank. This is NOT the guide to plan your trip with; although they recommend excellent lodgings and restaurants the descriptions are one-liners - most people like more information particulary when choosing accommodations.